Pectin @ zirconium (IV) silicophosphate nanocomposite (Pc/ZSPNC) ion exchanger has been prepared using simple sol-gel method. Pc/ZSPNC was characterized, using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Thermal stability, pH titration, elution concentration, elution behavior and distribution studies of Pc/ZSPNC were investigated. Pc/ZSPNC exhibited higher ion exchange capacity of 1.01 mequiv/g compared to its inorganic counterpart (0.56 mequiv/g). Pc/ZSPNC was found thermally more stable and retained 59% ion exchange capacity at 400 degrees C. Photo catalytic activity of Pc/ZSPNC was explored for the degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye in presence of solar irradiation. It was recorded that 97.02% of MB dye was degraded after 60 min of irradiation. The photo degradation of MB follows pseudo-first-order rate order kinetics with rate constant K of 0.0919 min(-1) and R-2 of 0.9977. Some binary separations of heavy metal ions were achieved on the column of Pc/ZSPNC ion exchanger based on distribution coefficient values. The antimicrobial activity of Pc/ZSPNC was also ascertained against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria using well diffusion method. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.